Calcium is an important element in human diets for adequate bone formation and maintenance as well as other metabolic functions, e.g., nerve transmission, blood clotting, proper cell function and muscle contraction. It is common practice to fortify food products with calcium sources which are either insoluble or soluble at around neutral pH. Many of the calcium sources currently used for fortification are insoluble or substantially insoluble at around neutral pH, e.g., calcium carbonate, calcium phosphates, calcium citrate and other salts of calcium. These materials result in precipitation and a chalky mouth feel. Other calcium sources are soluble or substantially soluble at around neutral pH such as calcium chloride, calcium lactate and a few organic acid salts of calcium, but these react with milk proteins resulting in undesirable coagulation and sedimentation.
It is also common practice to stabilize or reduce the sedimentation of the calcium and milk proteins in the milk beverages fortified with calcium sources by adding carrageenans, pectins and/or other gums, but such materials impart an undesirably high viscosity to milk. Protein destabilisation, e.g., precipitation and coagulation, is mainly attributed to free calcium ions in the system.
It would be highly desirable to have a calcium source to fortify milk beverages and other dairy based products without coagulation and sedimentation, with improved palatability.